WillyougooutwithmeMollyplease?
by Dreamin
Summary: Sherlolly AU: High school senior Sherlock realizes he's in love with one of his best friends, Molly Hooper.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a teenlock story but you'll have to bear with me - I don't know the British school system from the inside, so Sherlock and the others are in high school. The focus here isn't really on school, so I hope it isn't too much of an issue.

Disclaimer: Not mine, it all belongs to the BBC.

* * *

 _I can't believe I did that! I'm such a klutz! Sherlock must absolutely hate me… Thank God he didn't lose any of those lovely black curls._ "Sherlock, I want to say I'm sorry again for-" Molly Hooper started to say.

"Don't worry about it, Molly," Sherlock Holmes muttered. "The nurse said they'll grow back in a couple of months. It'll just look like I overdid it with the tweezers until then." Seeing Molly start to cry, again, Sherlock stooped to give her an awkward hug. "I'll be fine, I promise," he said, trying to sound more cheerful. They continued walking to the cafeteria then got in line for the school lunch.

Sherlock and Molly were best friends, though Sherlock would only admit it very reluctantly. He was an eighteen-year-old senior and would have been at the top of his class if it weren't for the fact that he tended to skip assignments that he considered boring. Sherlock was tall, already six feet, and lanky, which made him seem taller. He favored black or dark blue jeans, button-down dress shirts in various colors, black trainers, and a black pea coat – he was saving money to buy himself a Belstaff.

Molly was a couple months short of sixteen and also a senior, having skipped two grades in elementary school. She was at the top of their class, though she didn't like to talk about it. Molly was petite with long brown hair that she almost always wore in a ponytail and large brown eyes. She favored jumpers that she called "colorful" and Sherlock called "eye-searing," faded blue jeans or knee-length skirts, and ballet flats.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Sherlock asked casually, trying not to sound too interested.

"Studying," Molly said, smiling weakly. "Boring, I know, but exams are next week. What about you?"

"Mum and Dad are threatening to take us to _The Phantom of the Opera_ on Sunday." He winced at the mere thought.

Molly's whole face lit up. "Oh, I love _Phantom_! The music is so lovely and you can see how much Erik really loves Christine and the costumes are so detailed and…"

Sherlock bit back his "he's a homicidal maniac" retort, mesmerized by how animated Molly became as she talked about her favorite musical. _She's so quiet most of the time. Like a mouse. No, that's not right. She's too pretty to be a mouse. Like a wallflower._

They picked their lunches (cheese pizza and ice cream for Sherlock, a plain hotdog on a bun and fruit for Molly, French fries for both) and carried their trays to their usual table in the back of the cafeteria, near the vending machines. They sat down next to each other, as always. Sherlock thought of Molly Hooper's profile as one of the best things about school.

Molly drizzled ketchup all over her fries and started eating them while she talked about the musical's lyrics. Meanwhile, Sherlock dipped his fries in his chocolate ice cream before he ate them. Molly made a face at him and Sherlock just smirked.

"Don't knock it until you've tried it, Molly."

"Hi, guys," Sherlock's other best friend John Watson said as he approached them, interrupting Molly's one-sided discussion of the musical's themes. John was the same age as Sherlock, on the short side though he insisted he was average height, with short blond hair and dark blue eyes. He took one look at Sherlock and burst out laughing. "What the hell happened to your eyebrows?" He sat down across from Sherlock and opened his brown paper bag, pulling out a ham and cheese sandwich and an apple.

Sherlock huffed in annoyance. "There was an accident in the lab, if you must know."

"It was all my fault," Molly said forlornly.

"What was your fault?" John's girlfriend Mary Morstan asked as she came over, carrying her vintage _Star Trek_ lunchbox. Mary was eighteen and a senior, with short curly blonde hair and light blue eyes. Mary and Molly were best friends. Mary had taken the younger girl under her wing when they were juniors. She sat down next to John then kissed his cheek and looked at Sherlock, smiling a bit. "Interesting look, Sherlock." She pulled out her cucumber sandwich on her own homemade bread.

"Can we please get off the subject of my missing eyebrows?" Sherlock asked irritably. He was blushing now, much to his annoyance. _Stupid fair skin._

John smirked. "I dunno, mate, I'm tempted to take a photo and send it to Mycroft."

"Do it and I'll tell Mary exactly what's on your laptop."

Sherlock had deepened his voice to sound more threatening, but to Molly, it sounded like black velvet. _He certainly puts the Phantom to shame._ It was all she could do to keep from sighing dreamily.

Mary noticed the dreamy look on her friend's face and gave her boyfriend a knowing look. John just rolled his eyes. His friends' lovelives didn't interest him nearly as much as his own.

"Are we still on for Friday, Mary?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, but this time, I pick the movie," Mary said, smiling a bit. "A girl can only take so many car chases and explosions."

"What are we seeing, then?"

"The arthouse cinema is doing a Shakespeare festival – _Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Coriolanus_ -" She was cut off by both boys snickering. Mary rolled her eyes. "Boys."

"I love _Much Ado_ ," Molly said, smiling happily. "Is it Branagh's or Whedon's?"

"Both – the people putting on the festival want to settle the debate over whose is better."

"Branagh's," Molly said at the same time Sherlock said, "Whedon's."

Molly stared at the boy she'd been in love with for over a year. "You think Whedon's is better? I didn't even know you liked Shakespeare movies."

Sherlock shrugged nonchalantly. "Branagh's is good but the landscape and the costumes distract from the dialogue. By making the movie black-and-white and setting it in modern times, Whedon makes you pay attention to what everyone's actually saying."

"Sherlock Holmes, film critic," John said, amused.

Molly had just taken her first bite of her hotdog when Jim Moriarty's voice carried across the cafeteria. "Oi, Hooper, practicing for your next date?"

Sherlock was out of his chair and halfway to Jim before the seventeen-year-old junior had finished speaking. John and Mary scrambled after Sherlock but weren't fast enough to prevent him from punching Jim in the nose. Moriarty folded like a house of cards, both hands covering his nose, blood dripping through his fingers. Sherlock had absolute murder in his eyes. John and Mary managed to pull him away before he did any more harm to the kid he considered his archenemy. Molly saw the whole thing from her seat, too mortified and shocked to move. One of the lunchroom monitors rounded up everyone, including Molly, and ordered Moriarty to report to the school nurse and the rest to report to Vice Principal Donovan's office.

"Alright," Vice Principal Sally Donovan said when the four were seated in front of her, "tell me what happened, one at a time."

All four of them spoke at once.

"Moriarty insulted Molly!" Sherlock still looked like he wanted to murder Moriarty.

"Jim was being really gross, Sherlock taught him a lesson." Mary gave the vice-principal a challenging look.

"Moriarty should know better than to say anything to Molly." John looked almost as angry as Sherlock.

"He … he said … then Sherlock, he…" For the third time that day, Molly started to cry, burying her face in her hands.

Sherlock immediately knelt beside her chair, saying softly, "It's alright, Molly. Moriarty just likes to shoot off his mouth, don't pay any attention to him." He gave her his handkerchief and put a reassuring hand on her knee.

"Sherlock Holmes, save your PDA for off-campus," Donovan said firmly. "When you're in school, I expect you and your girlfriend to behave."

Four pairs of eyes stared at her. Sherlock said crossly, "She's **not** my girlfriend."

Three pairs of eyes stared at him. Molly's eyes were wide and immensely sad. _Is he really that disgusted by the idea of dating me?_

Sherlock felt like a complete heel. _God, Molly, don't look at me like that…_ "I, um, didn't mean it that way."

Mary turned back to the vice-principal. "Ms. Donovan, Sherlock was just defending Molly. Jim's the only one who should be in trouble."

"I'll decide who's in trouble, Miss Morstan," Donovan said firmly. She assessed the four teenagers for a moment. "Mr. Holmes, I'm giving you one day of out-of-school suspension, which you will take tomorrow. You will need to collect the day's assignments from your instructors. I will inform your parents of what's happened."

Sherlock was about to protest but one look from Donovan made him hold his tongue. She looked at the other three. "Miss Morstan, Miss Hooper, Mr. Watson, there will be no punishment for you. However, I think you should reconsider your friendship with this one. You don't want to end up tainted by association."

"Ladies, Mr. Watson, you can go to your next class now," said a male voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to see Principal Lestrade standing there. "Ms. Donovan, I'd like a word with Mr. Holmes."

"You heard him," Donovan said.

Molly, Mary, and John reluctantly got up and left, Molly looking back at Sherlock sadly before she left the room.

"My office, now," Lestrade said firmly.

Sherlock got up and followed the principal into his office. Lestrade closed the door then turned to him.

"Have a seat, Sherlock." His tone was much friendlier. Lestrade sat on the edge of the desk.

Sherlock slumped into one of the chairs. "Moriarty started it," he said sullenly.

"That doesn't mean you have to finish it." Lestrade ran a frustrated hand through his silver hair. "This is the second time in as many months, Sherlock. You can't let that kid get to you."

"I don't," Sherlock protested, "not when he's talking about me. But when he says something nasty about Molly…" He trailed off helplessly.

"Look, Sherlock, I know being in love for the first time is hard-"

"Why does everyone insist that I'm in love with Molly Hooper?" he asked petulantly.

Lestrade chuckled. "Alright, you're not in love with her. She's just a friend. A very good friend, someone you're willing to get into a fistfight for whenever anybody makes an off-color remark about her."

"Yes! Finally, someone gets it."

"Just try not to get in any more fights, alright? I want to see you graduate on-time and start living up to your massive potential."

"What about Moriarty? Isn't he going to be punished?"

"He'll get a week of in-school suspension and an anti-harassment lecture." Lestrade sighed quietly. "That kid is a bad apple and I don't want to see him bring you down too."

"As long as he stays away from Molly, I don't care what he does."

"Good." Lestrade smiled a bit. "Now run along. I don't want you to miss the rest of your next class."

"Yes, sir."

Sherlock hurried to classroom 221B, Mrs. Hudson's English class. She was in the middle of a lecture about the book they were currently studying _, Pride and Prejudice_. She just waved him in and he sat down in his assigned seat in front of Molly. Mrs. Hudson continued talking about how important reputations were in the Nineteenth Century and compared that to reputations today.

Sherlock ignored her. His focus instead was on Molly's perfume. _Vanilla and sugar. Sweet, but Molly's sweeter._ The principal's and vice principal's words came back to him. _Molly's not my girlfriend and I'm definitely not in love with her._

By the time school was over for the day, Sherlock was in a definite funk. He, John, Mary, and Molly were walking home together as they always did when the petrol tank of John's car was low and none of them could afford to fill it. Sherlock and John were in front and the girls followed them. Mary and Molly were discussing _Pride and Prejudice_.

"I'm definitely Lizzy Bennet," Mary said. "Mischievous, witty, all of that." She grinned, showing off her dimples.

"Well, I'm Mary Bennet," Molly said quietly.

"Jane," Sherlock said firmly.

Both girls looked at him. "What?" Molly asked.

Sherlock turned to face her, walking backwards. "You're not a boring little nobody, Molly. You're just like Jane – you've got a big heart and you always see the good in people." He suddenly tripped on an uneven square of pavement and fell on his butt, wincing.

Molly immediately went to him. "Sherlock, are you hurt?"

John helped him up. "Nothing's wounded except his personality."

Sherlock muttered, "Very funny."

"So, you think Molly's like Jane Bennet?" Mary grinned knowingly. "Isn't Jane considered the prettiest girl in Hertfordshire?"

Both Sherlock and Molly blushed. "Looks don't matter," Sherlock said firmly. "All that matters are someone's heart and brain. Both of Molly's are good."

Molly couldn't help smiling happily. Mary gave John another knowing look. John just sighed.

After seeing Mary to her townhouse and John to his apartment building, Sherlock walked alongside Molly as they made their way to her apartment building. Sherlock's townhouse was closer but there was no way Sherlock was going to let Molly walk home alone, even partway.

"How's your dad?" he asked.

"He's good," Molly said. "He just got a raise at work, now he wants to have the kitchen remodeled. What about your parents?"

"They're fine. They're going to Oklahoma again after Easter." He rolled his eyes. "I don't know what it is they like about line-dancing. The steps are idiotic and the music is inane."

Molly laughed softly, a sound Sherlock preferred. "Oh, I don't know, some of it's sweet. 'You be my glass of wine, I'll be your shot of whiskey.'"

Sherlock couldn't help smiling. "You be my Elizabeth Bennet, I'll be your Fitzwilliam Darcy."

Molly smiled back. "You be my Benedick, I'll be your Beatrice."

They arrived at her building, but Sherlock wished they had more time. "Text me tomorrow? I'm going to be bored to death stuck at home."

She smiled sympathetically. "I'll text you between classes and at lunch." Molly stood on her tiptoes to kiss Sherlock's cheek. "I'll see you Friday." She opened the security door and walked in, leaving Sherlock on the front steps, a hand to his cheek where she had kissed him, and blinking rapidly in what John called his "buffering" mode.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: The story continues as our boy Sherlock comes to a realization.

* * *

The next morning, Molly was at her locker between classes. She took the opportunity to text Sherlock.

 _9:50a Everyone's talking about the fight. Half the school thinks you're a hero. Molly_

 _9:52a I'm no hero. SH_

 _9:53a You are to me. Molly_

There was no reply before Molly had to go to her next class. As soon as she got out of that, she checked her phone again.

 _10:23a I like being your hero. SH_

 _10:50a School is so boring without you. Molly_

 _10:51a I can't wait to see you either. SH_

Once she was seated at their table in the cafeteria that afternoon, she texted Sherlock back.

 _12:15p What are you doing? Molly_

 _12:16p Found my father's cigar stash. He has several kinds, I'm burning one of each to see how the ash differs. SH_

 _12:17p Is this for that consulting detective idea? Molly_

 _12:18p Yes, you never know what information could be useful. SH_

 _12:19p Did you already do your homework? Molly_

 _12:20p Yes, dull. How much longer until we graduate? SH_

 _12:21p Three months. Just think, after tomorrow, we have one more week until Easter Break. Molly_

 _12:22p Thank God. SH_

He received another text from Molly after her next class.

 _1:53p Oh my gosh, Mike Stamford just asked me out. Molly_

Mike was a friend of Sherlock's, but at that moment, all Sherlock wanted to do was punch the other boy's lights out. He didn't know why he felt that way, and refused to examine his feelings.

 _1:54p What did you tell him? SH_

 _1:55p I told him Dad won't let me date until I'm sixteen. Molly_

Something about that really annoyed Sherlock, but he refused to examine that feeling as well.

 _1:56p Is that true? SH_

 _1:57p Yes, but I could probably get him to change his mind if I brought home a boy I think he'd really like. Molly_

 _1:58p And you don't think Mike would impress him? SH_

 _1:59p I think Mike's nice but a little too dull to impress my dad. He always talks about how life with Mom was never boring. Molly_

After school was done for the day, Molly checked her mobile again.

 _2:05p I bet I could impress your dad. SH_

A devil on her shoulder reminded her of what Sherlock had said in the vice-principal's office.

 _3:10p You probably could, but like you said, I'm not your girlfriend. Molly_

That single sentence jolted Sherlock enough that he was finally willing to examine his feelings. _She's right, she's not my girlfriend. So why does it hurt when she says it? Why does the idea of Mike asking her out piss me off? Why do I want to protest, loudly, when she says her dad won't let her date until she's sixteen? That's two months from now, what difference does it make?_

 _The difference, you silly arse, is that you've been lying to yourself for ages._ The new voice in his head sounded an awful lot like John at his most exasperated. _You are in love with Molly Hooper and you want her to be your girlfriend. Today. Now. Right this minute._

The truth startled Sherlock so much that he dropped his mobile. Fortunately, he was in the library and standing on his parents' faux bear skin rug ( _my parents are so weird_ ), so the phone was unharmed. The same couldn't be said for Sherlock's thought process.

 _What do I do now? I should talk to John. Or Mary. They'll know what to do. No, they'll just make fun of me for taking this long to realize it. I could talk to Mycroft. No._ _ **Hell no**_ _. What does Mycroft know about relationships? He doesn't have any, except for the one he has with cake. My parents? Oh God, no. I'll get another "the birds and the bees" lecture (which, by the way, has_ _ **nothing**_ _to do with bees)._ He shuddered. An image of Molly as he last saw her came to mind. _Face it, Holmes, the only person you could really talk to about this is the one person you_ _ **can't**_ _talk to about this. Or can I? If I told her I fancied someone else, I could still get her advice. Molly's the smartest person I know, she'll know what to do._

Sherlock glanced at the clock. _They're walking home right now. I hope John remembered to walk with Molly the whole way instead of making her walk part of the way by herself._ He retrieved his phone from where it landed on the rug then sent Molly a text.

 _3:35p Are you on your way home? SH_

 _3:37p Yes. Molly_

 _3:38p John's with you, right? SH_

 _3:40p No, he's having dinner with Mary and her parents. Molly_

 _3:41p What?! He was supposed to walk with you. You should have told me. SH_

 _3:43p Sherlock, I'm almost 16. I'm perfectly capable of walking a few blocks by myself. Molly_

 _3:44p I worry about you. That's what friends do. SH_

 _3:46p You're a good friend, Sherlock. Molly_

 _3:47p So are you, Molly. Call me when you get home. SH_

By the time his phone rang, Sherlock was in his room, desperate for privacy. The last thing he needed was his parents listening in on this call. He answered it after the first ring. "Hi, Molly."

"Hi, Sherlock," she said. "What's so important that you couldn't text me?"

 _Forgive me, Molly._ "I, um, there's this girl, I really like her. I want to ask her out but I, um, don't know how."

Molly was amazed at exactly how fast her heart plummeted at his words. "A … a girl? What's her name?"

"Janine."

 _I don't know of any Janines in our year._ "Do I know her?"

"She doesn't go to our school."

 _That explains it._ "How did you meet her?" _Why am I even doing this? Why don't I tell him to find someone else to help him? Oh, right, because it's Sherlock._

"That doesn't matter. How do I ask her out?"

 _He's like a little lost puppy._ "Haven't you been on a date before, Sherlock?"

"No, it wasn't really my area until now." _It really wasn't. No one was interested in me in middle school and I certainly wasn't interested in any of them. Then came high school and wham, bam, thank you, puberty, I'm suddenly "hot" and girls started asking me out, but I always shot them down. I guess even then I subconsciously knew there was only one girl who could interest me._

"And you think it's mine? I've never been on a date either." _And at this rate, it'll be a long time before I ever will. Maybe I should've just said yes to Mike._

"But you still know what a girl would like," Sherlock protested gently. "If I were to ask you out, what's the best way to go about it?"

 _Just keep twisting that knife, Sherlock._ "Just, um, just be yourself. If she likes you, then that's all you need."

"Where should I take her? Where would you want to go on a date?"

"Someplace that interests me, I guess." _I really don't want to have this conversation with you right now._

Sherlock smiled a bit. "Could you be a little more specific, Molly?"

"Well, you mentioned _Phantom_. There's also that _Body Worlds_ exhibit at the science museum, that looks fascinating. But Janine might have different interests. You'd just have to ask her."

"I will. Thanks, Molly. You're the best."

 _I wish I could believe you mean that._ "You're welcome, Sherlock."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you to my lovely reviewers. This chapter has a slight reference to _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ , my favorite high school TV show.

* * *

 _Act naturally. You can't have her deducing your feelings until you're ready to share them._ Sherlock repeated those words to himself over and over as he walked to Molly's building the next morning in the rain, but they weren't helping. _She's going to see right through me._

She came outside just as he approached the door, her face showing none of the troubles of the past two days as she smiled at him happily from under her fruit-printed umbrella. "Sherlock, cheer up! It's Friday."

"We still have one more day of school to get through," he reminded her, but couldn't help smiling a bit.

"You always see the dark side of things," she teased gently.

"And I'm usually right," he replied, smirking.

They started walking to Mary's townhouse. Sherlock wasn't fond of chilly weather but he did like how rosy the wind was making Molly's cheeks. When she started to slip on the slick cobblestones, Sherlock gently steadied her then offered her his arm. Molly hesitated a moment before taking it.

 _I shouldn't be doing this,_ she thought. _He likes somebody else. But then he gives me a smile that goes all the way to those beautiful eyes and I'm lost._

They walked like that the rest of the way to Mary's. When she came out and saw them, she just grinned and took Sherlock's other arm.

Sherlock laughed. "I'll be the envy of every guy in school."

Mary giggled. "Until we get to John's, anyway."

Sherlock glanced down at Molly. _Even then, I'll still be the envy of every guy in school._

The three of them talked about their plans for the weekend. Mary said she had gotten tickets for herself and John for _Coriolanus_ that night.

"I think he'll be more tolerant of a Shakespeare war movie than one of the comedies," she explained.

"As long as there's Hollywood violence and a body count, he'll be happy," Sherlock said.

Mary nodded, grinning. "I get Ralph Fiennes and Gerard Butler, so I'm happy too."

"Don't let John hear you say that," Molly said, giggling.

When they arrived at John's building, he gave Sherlock a mock glare then transferred Mary's hand to his own arm. Mary just laughed.

After an uneventful ("boring," according to Sherlock) school day, the four friends walked home. After seeing Mary and John to their homes, Sherlock turned to Molly.

"Molly, can I talk to you?"

Molly blinked in surprise. "Sure, Sherlock. What's up?"

Sherlock was about to blurt out everything in what he knew was going to be a stream-of-consciousness jumble of words when Molly's mobile rang.

"Sorry! Just a minute." She answered it, turning her back to Sherlock. "Hello?" She paused. "Oh, hi, Mrs. Dale." A longer pause. "Sure, I can babysit Sunny tonight." Another pause. "Now? Oh, sure. I'll come right over. See you soon." Molly hung up and turned back to Sherlock, smiling apologetically. "Mrs. Dale needs a babysitter again. What did you need to tell me?"

 _You're perfect, you're a queen, I love you._ "Um, nothing."

"Sherlock…" There was a clear warning in her tone.

"It can wait, Molly," Sherlock said firmly.

Molly looked at him skeptically then shrugged. "Fine..."

Sherlock nodded and they walked the rest of the way to her building in silence. Molly went up two steps and turned so she was at eye-level with Sherlock. "Call me tomorrow? We can talk about whatever's wrong."

"I will, I promise." At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, but he knew that wouldn't go over well. _She thinks I'm still interested in "Janine." I'll have to tell her the truth about that before anything else._

"Bye, Sherlock," she said as she went into the building.

"Bye, Molly," Sherlock said quietly. _Being in love is awful._

That evening, while Molly babysat a rambunctious five-year-old and Sherlock dealt with his feelings, John and Mary watched Caius Martius Coriolanus' rise and fall. After the movie, they went to a nearby chip shop.

"What did you think?" Mary asked eagerly.

John smiled a bit. "Not bad. But Caius should've realized he wasn't cut out for politics – he's almost as undiplomatic as Sherlock."

Mary laughed. "Oh God, yes. Speaking of Sherlock-"

"Here it comes," John said, smirking.

"It's obvious he's in love with Molly, and I think he's finally starting to realize it. Since we want our friends to be happy, what are we going to do to help them?"

"Who said they need help?" John asked as he stole one of Mary's chips, having already eaten his own.

"Every couple needs help, especially when they first get together." Mary smiled fondly. "Sherlock helped you pretend you were bad at history so I'd tutor you."

John smiled sheepishly. "Actually, we weren't pretending, I really was that bad at history."

Both of them laughed. "Anyway," Mary continued, "Sherlock and Molly need our help. Since they both like _Much Ado_ , why don't we go with them to see Branagh's version tomorrow night?"

John thought it over for a moment. "I guess it couldn't hurt to ask." He pulled out his mobile and texted Sherlock.

 _9:05p Mary's suggesting the four of us see MUCH ADO tomorrow night. It'll be an official double-date. JW_

 _9:06p I'll ask Molly. She's babysitting right now so I'll ask her tomorrow. SH_

John looked up at his girlfriend, smiling. "Sherlock'll ask Molly tomorrow, but I'll bet anything they'll come."

Mary grinned. "Perfect."

The next morning, Sherlock grabbed his mobile before he was even out of bed and dialed Molly's number. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" she asked sleepily.

"Hi, Molly," Sherlock said cheerfully.

"Sherlock?" Molly glanced at her alarm clock. "It's barely seven. When you said you'd call today, I thought you meant at a decent hour."

"Did I wake you?"

"Yes, but never mind. What was on your mind yesterday?"

"WillyougooutwithmeMollyplease?"

"Um, Sherlock, could you say that again at half-speed?" _It sounded like he was asking me out but that can't be right._

Sherlock took a deep breath. "Will you go out with me, Molly? Please?"

Molly stared at her mobile, the only light in her still-darkened bedroom. "What? What about Janine?"

"There's no Janine. I made her up."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I'm a teenager and the decision-making part of my brain isn't fully-developed yet?" He sighed heavily. "I didn't know how to ask you out and you're the only person I could talk to about it, so I made up a fake girlfriend. I see now it was, as John would say, a bit Not Good." _There was no way I could've asked her in person. One look in those chocolate eyes and I'd forget what I was going to say._ "I really like you, Molly. A lot. More than a lot, actually. And not just as friends."

"And I like you, Sherlock," Molly said softly, the brightest of smiles on her face. "More than a lot, actually, and not just as friends. So … what are we going to do about this?"

Sherlock beamed, thankful no one could see the stupid grin on his face. "John and Mary are going to see _Much Ado_ tonight, they wanted to know if we want to go. As a couple, I mean, not as friends."

"I'd love to. I just have to get my dad's permission. Will you come over early so he can meet you?"

"Anything for you, Molly," Sherlock said softly. "You know that."

That afternoon, Molly called Mary in a panic.

"Hi, Molly," Mary said happily. "What's up?"

"Mary, you have to help me," Molly said desperately. "This is my first date and I have no idea what to wear!"

"Calm down," Mary said gently. "Sherlock will like whatever you wear, you know that. The weather's finally starting to warm up a bit, so I think you can get away with a dress and a jumper. Not the jumper with the cherries, he's seen that a million times."

"But it's my favorite," Molly protested weakly.

"You can save that for your second date," Mary replied, the smile evident in her voice. "And wear your hair down. Oh, and wear that vanilla perfume, Sherlock really likes it."

"How do you know that?" she asked, intrigued.

"I saw him sniffing the air during English class Wednesday and again today. Since you sit right behind him, it must have been you he was smelling."

"That doesn't necessarily mean he likes the scent."

"He was smiling."

"Oh…"

Mary laughed softly. "He's got it bad for you, Molly. I'm glad he's finally realized it."

"Me too. I've dreamed about this for so long but I thought it would never come. But it'll end before it starts if my dad doesn't like him."

"Sherlock's smart, rich, polite (when he needs to be), and comes from a good family. He's every parent's dream come true."

Molly laughed weakly. "Let's hope."

That evening, Sherlock walked to Molly's, nervously fiddling with the buttons on his cuffs. He wore his pea coat over an expertly-tailored black suit and teal blue dress shirt, Christmas gifts from his parents. They had also given him a matching tie but Sherlock hated ties, preferring to leave the top shirt button undone. He climbed the front steps of her building then hit the buzzer for her apartment.

"Yes?" came Molly's voice over the speaker.

"It's Sherlock," he said, thanking whatever deity was listening that his voice was steady. He heard the security door unlock.

"Come on up."

Sherlock went through the door then took the lift to the third floor. He walked down the hallway to Molly's apartment and knocked on the door. The door opened but instead of seeing Molly, Sherlock was face-to-face with a middle-aged, widowed, chain-smoking, insomniac office worker. Steeling himself, Sherlock gave him his most polite smile as he held out his hand. "Hello, Mr. Hooper. I'm Sherlock Holmes."

Mr. Hooper shook his hand, though he didn't smile back. "I know who you are – Molly's always talking about you."

 _That could be good or bad,_ Sherlock thought. _If she's told him about some of the things I've gotten into, this date is over before it begins._ "May I come in?"

The older man took his time answering, which made Sherlock squirm a bit under his scrutiny. Finally, he stepped aside and Sherlock walked into the small foyer. He desperately looked around for Molly, needing to see her reassuring smile, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"If you're looking for Molly," Mr. Hooper said, "she's in her room. I told her you and I need to have a talk alone first."

"Yes, sir," Sherlock replied, praying his nerves didn't show.

Mr. Hooper led the way through the modest apartment and into the cozy living room. He sat in the recliner and gestured towards the couch. Sherlock took a deep breath to steady himself then sat down on the couch.

"First off," Mr. Hooper said, "I'm not thrilled with the thought of my fifteen-year-old daughter dating an eighteen-year-old."

"With all due respect, Mr. Hooper," Sherlock protested, "I've been eighteen for less than three months, while Molly will be sixteen in two. I have no intention of taking advantage of Molly – I have the utmost respect for your daughter."

"With all due respect, Mr. Holmes," Mr. Hooper said, his mocking tone clear as crystal, "I remember what it was like to be a teenage boy. I know what you want and what tricks you'll use to get it. I've warned Molly about all of them."

 _Poor Molly. That must have been the conversation from hell_. "Sir, I swear to you, I'm not looking to get into Molly's knickers." When Mr. Hooper raised an eyebrow, he continued. "Molly's the most beautiful girl I've ever met and I care about her deeply, but neither of us are ready for such a big step."

Mr. Hooper assessed Sherlock silently for several long minutes, his expression giving nothing away, then he nodded. "As long as you keep that in mind, Sherlock, I'll let you date Molly. I want grandchildren but not for a good ten years at least."

Sherlock let out a shaky breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding. "Th… thank you, Sir."

The older man smiled a bit. "She told me what you did to that Moriarty boy the other day. You're an honorable young man, Sherlock. Never lose that."

"Yes, sir," Sherlock replied, feeling a bit dazed.

"Molly?" Mr. Hooper called out. "Sherlock's waiting!"

Soon, Sherlock heard Molly's distinctive light footsteps and turned to see, in his opinion, an absolute vision. Molly stood there in a sleeveless, knee-length yellow dress with small white polka dots, a cream cardigan with yellow and pink roses printed on it, and yellow kitten heels. Her hair hung in loose waves down her back. The smile on her face rivaled the sun itself.

Sherlock shakily stood up. "Molly, you look…" He trailed off, looking for just the right word.

"Pretty?" Molly offered, smiling a bit. _I can't remember the last time Sherlock was speechless._ "Beautiful? Gorgeous?"

"Breathtaking," he said softly, sincerely.

 _I could just melt into a puddle of happiness right now_. "Thank you," she murmured, smiling softly. "You look very handsome, Sherlock."

He smiled at her brightly and felt his cheeks turn slightly pink under her gaze. _Why don't I mind it when she makes me blush?_

"Remember your promise, Sherlock," Mr. Hooper said.

He nodded. "Yes, sir." He slowly approached Molly and offered her his arm.

Molly took it, smiling up at him shyly, then turned to her father. "Curfew's at midnight, right, Dad?"

He nodded, smiling fondly. "Yes, Cinderella. Go on, your friends are waiting."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sherlock and Molly's first date.

* * *

Once they were outside, Sherlock cleared his throat then smiled weakly. "Molly…"

"Yes?" she asked, her own smile hopeful.

"On the way to John's, could we, um, hold hands?"

"I'd like that."

Sherlock took Molly's small hand in his large one. _They're a perfect fit. It's like Molly and I were made for each other._ They walked hand-in-hand to John's building, sometimes talking about little things, sometimes just enjoying the companionable silence.

"How did babysitting go yesterday?" Sherlock asked, smiling a bit. He knew little Sunny always wore Molly out.

She groaned softly. "I can't wait until Sunny's old enough to stop being so energetic. Her parents really need to find a way to help her burn off that energy. If it weren't for her sweetness, she'd be a little hellion."

Sherlock chuckled. "At least the Dales don't need you very often."

"Just when they want a date night." Molly smiled a bit. "So, on a scale from one to your mother, how intimidating do you think my dad is?"

He burst out laughing. "No one, ever, is as intimidating as Mum. I mean, my dad doesn't even come close. As far as your dad goes, I'd say more than my dad, more than Mycroft (and don't ever tell him I said he's intimidating), but several steps behind Mum." He paused. "Our age difference really bothers him, doesn't it?"

"A little," Molly admitted. "He knows I'm mature for my age, though."

Sherlock playfully raised an eyebrow. "This from the girl who has a Hello Kitty coin purse, keychain, and until last year, backpack?"

She laughed softly. "I like cute things, but yes, I am mature for my age. And since everyone knows you're immature for your age, we're perfect for each other."

Sherlock faked a pout, which Molly always found irresistible because of his perfect Cupid's bow lips. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"You do realize you've just proved my point, right?" she asked, grinning.

He just laughed and leaned a bit to kiss her forehead. "We balance each other out, Molly Hooper."

She smiled up at him happily. "That we do, Sherlock Holmes."

When they arrived at John's building, Sherlock hit the buzzer.

"Yes?" came John's voice through the speaker, sounding exasperated, or as Sherlock thought of it, his default mood.

"It's Sherlock and Molly," he said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing, I'll be down in a minute."

Sherlock looked at Molly, smiling a bit. "Five pounds says he split his trousers."

She giggled. "Maybe he forgot to fill up his tank."

"No, he was complaining about the price of petrol when we texted earlier."

John bounded through the security door a few minutes later, scowling and his cheeks flushed. "C'mon, let's go." He lead the way to the parking garage.

Sherlock smirked as he took in his best friend's appearance – a charcoal gray suit that was slightly too big and a white dress shirt. "That's not the suit you said you were going to wear."

Molly laughed softly. "Boys talk about what they're going to wear on a date too?"

"Of course," Sherlock said, grinning. "Otherwise, we'd end up wearing the same thing."

"Yeah, jeans and a white t-shirt," John muttered. "Not that it's any of your business, Sherlock, but I split my good black trousers."

Sherlock smirked at Molly. "What did I tell you?"

She grinned back. "It's a good thing I know better than to take your bets."

"If you two are quite done talking about my trousers, I'd like to get Mary and get to the cinema before the film starts," John muttered. When they reached John's assigned parking space, he unlocked his dark blue Mini Cooper 4-door and got into the driver's seat.

Sherlock opened one of the back doors. "After you, Molly."

She smiled at him then got into the backseat and slid to the other side, giving Sherlock and his long legs plenty of room when he got in. Molly fastened her seatbelt and nudged Sherlock in the side until he fastened his. John put on his seatbelt and fiddled with the radio, finally settling on the Adult Contemporary station before backing out of his space and driving out of the parking garage.

Warrant's "Heaven" was playing as Sherlock reached out to take Molly's hand. She smiled at him softly just as the first chorus started.

 _I don't need to be the king of the world_

 _As long as I'm the hero of this little girl_

Sherlock leaned over to kiss her cheek and murmur in her ear, "I think this is going to be our song."

"Mmm, I have no objections," she murmured back.

"No snogging in the backseat," John said in mock seriousness.

He parked in front of Mary's townhouse then got out and was about to knock when the front door opened and Mary came out, dressed in a camel leather biker jacket over a short-sleeved knee-length black dress and strappy black sandals. John gave her a quick hello kiss then opened the passenger door for her, shutting it after she was settled. He got back into the driver's seat and drove to the art house cinema.

After paying a "ridiculous" fee to park in the adjacent lot, the four of them got out and walked to the theatre. Sherlock put a possessive hand at the small of Molly's back after seeing the looks she was getting from some of the other patrons.

 _If he wants the world to know I'm his girlfriend, I certainly don't mind_ , she thought, smiling to herself.

After buying the tickets, the four of them made their way into the theatre. The showing was close to being sold out so they couldn't find four seats across. Mary found them two seats in one row directly in front of two seats in the next row.

Sherlock and Molly took the two seats in the first row. He took off his pea coat and hung it on the back of his chair then they both sat down. Sherlock considered himself the master of self-discipline when he waited six whole seconds before draping an arm across Molly's shoulders. She leaned against him just as the house lights dimmed.

Sherlock would have gladly spent the entire hour and fifty-one minutes just watching Molly's reactions to the antics of Branagh and the other actors, but he knew she'd want to talk about the movie afterwards so he forced himself to pay attention. Half of the time, anyway.

After the movie, John drove the four of them to a nice Italian restaurant. As soon as they were seated, he turned to his girlfriend, smiling a bit. "Alright, Mary, let's hear your complaints about how most of the men in the movie are misogynistic pigs."

The others just laughed. "I don't go into that every time, do I?" Mary asked.

"Yes, you do," Molly said, smiling gently. "But we've come to expect it."

"Now that I've actually seen it," John said, "I can understand where you're coming from. Claudio doesn't deserve Hero."

"Benedick does deserve Beatrice," Sherlock noted. "He's the only decent man there."

"Yes, but he had to humble himself a bit," Mary said. "So did Beatrice. The only person who went through the play unchanged was Hero."

"I think love has blinded her to Claudio's faults," Molly said. "She can't see his insecurity and jealousy."

"He'll relax when they're married," John said with an amount of certainty that surprised the others. "What? Once the ring's on her finger, it's a done deal. You know she's committed to you."

Sherlock smiled a bit. "If you say so, John. You've become such an expert on relationships. It's amazing, considering Mary's your first girlfriend to last longer than a fortnight."

"It just took time for him to find the right girl," Mary said, smiling softly at her boyfriend.

John returned her smile then smirked at Sherlock. "You should talk, Mr. Just Started Dating."

"I never claimed to be an expert on relationships," he said, smiling a bit. "Just on Molly."

Molly beamed at him.

Dinner passed in a happy blur for Sherlock. Looking back on the memory, he'd never be able to say what he ate that night or what anyone but Molly said, but he would never forget her bright smiles and delighted laughter.

After dinner, John drove Molly home first. Sherlock got out with her and walked her to the door. He knew John and Mary were watching them from the car but he didn't care. Molly climbed two of the front steps then turned to look at Sherlock.

"I had a lovely time, Sherlock," she said, smiling happily.

"So did I." Steeling his nerves, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Molly blinked at him in a fair imitation of his buffering mode, then smiled the brightest smile he'd ever received from her. "Good night, Sherlock."

"Good night, Molly." He smiled weakly. "I'll call you tomorrow."

She nodded then opened the security door and walked into the building. Sherlock walked back to John's car. As soon as he got in, his friends pounced.

"Good job, Sherlock," Mary said, grinning and giving him two thumbs up.

"Good job?" John asked, staring at his girlfriend. "That was barely a kiss." He turned to Sherlock. "Next time, make it last more than half a second."

Blushing furiously, Sherlock muttered, "Who made you two Olympic judges?" He checked Facebook on his mobile. Molly's most recent post was a single line of text.

 _Sherlock kissed me! :D_

Sherlock knew the grin on his face wasn't going away any time soon.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Date #2 for Sherlock and Molly, this time with bonus parental units. Sherlock's parents' first names are from William S. Baring-Gould's _Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street_.

* * *

The next morning, Sherlock texted his brother.

 _8:58a I need a favor. S_

 _9:03a Favors are expensive, Sherlock. M_

 _9:04a Name the price, I don't care. S_

 _9:09a In that case, I will determine the price at some point in the future. What's the favor? M_

 _9:10a I need you to pretend you're sick and have to miss POTO. S_

 _9:15a I would have done that for free, but having you in my debt is icing on the cake. M_

 _9:16a And no one knows cake better than you. S_

 _9:21a Just for that, you owe me double. What's going around? I want to make it believable. M_

 _9:22a Influenza's always popular. You're not a good enough actor to fake pneumonia. S_

 _9:27a I am going to ignore that. I take it you want the esteemed Miss Hooper to take my place. Mummy was over the moon when I talked to her last night. M_

 _9:28a Would I be willing to be indebted to you twice over for anyone else? S_

 _9:33a I suppose not. I'll call Mummy after breakfast. M_

Sherlock pulled on his black silk dressing gown (a birthday present from his parents) over his white t-shirt and gray pajama pants then went downstairs to the kitchen, where his mother was making breakfast while his father read the paper at the kitchen table.

"Morning," he mumbled as he sat down at the table and poured himself a cup of coffee.

His mother turned to him, smiling happily. "Good morning, Sherlock. You haven't told us about your date yet. I want to hear everything."

Siger Holmes chuckled. "Violet, I think some things are better left private." He smiled at his younger son sympathetically. "I'm sure Sherlock doesn't want to go into every detail."

Sherlock nodded, feeling his cheeks redden.

Violet, who had turned back to the stove, just scoffed. "Nonsense. It was Sherlock's first date and I want to know all about it."

 _Might as well use the band-aid method – one quick tear and it's all over._ "Molly and I held hands, we went to see _Much Ado About Nothing_ , we had Italian, then I kissed her," Sherlock said as unemotionally as he could with his cheeks still burning.

Violet turned back to him, beaming. "Oh, your first kiss! How was it?"

"Now, Violet, I think we've pried enough," Siger said gently but firmly.

Violet sighed dramatically. "Very well…" She served the sausage and eggs then sat down with her own cup of coffee.

Sherlock ate hungrily, surreptitiously checking the clock on the wall every five minutes. Finally, his mother's mobile rang.

Violet picked it up. "It's Mycroft." She pushed the button, smiling. "Hello, Mikey, dear."

Sherlock couldn't make out his brother's words but he could hear a few coughs and hid his smile behind his hand.

"Oh, that's too bad," his mother said sympathetically. "We'll have to see if someone else would like to go. Drink plenty of fluids and get some rest, Mikey." When she was off the phone, she turned to Sherlock. "Mycroft has the flu and can't make it to the show tonight. I'd hate to have his ticket go to waste. Do you think Molly would like to join us as our treat?"

Sherlock feigned nonchalance. "I don't know, I'll have to ask her."

"Finish your breakfast then call her," she said. "It's not nice to ask a girl out via text."

"Yes, Mum." Sherlock finished his breakfast in record time then went back upstairs to his bedroom and called Molly.

She picked up on the first ring. "Hello, Sherlock," Molly said happily. "Um, did you see my Facebook post from last night?"

Sherlock grinned. "I saw it right after you posted it."

"Have you seen it since?"

"No, why?"

"Um, it has 50 likes and almost as many comments. All good things," she added quickly. "Everyone's happy for us."

Sherlock felt his blush return. "Um, good. Are you busy tonight, Molly? My parents bought tickets for the family to see _Phantom_ but Mycroft can't make it. Mum thought you'd like to go with us as our treat. I'd really like to see it with you, Molly, since I know it's your favorite." _Am I talking too much? I probably am but when it comes to Molly, sometimes I just can't help it._

"Oh, Sherlock, I'd love to!" Her delight was so evident in her voice that Sherlock wished he'd asked her in person so he could see it on her face. "What time?"

"The performance is at seven, we can pick you up at six. Mum always insists on arriving anywhere obscenely early." He rolled his eyes.

Molly giggled. "I can be ready by then."

"I'll call you when we're about to leave." Sherlock paused. "Molly, I…"

"Yes, Sherlock?" she asked patiently.

 _I love you._ He mentally berated himself. _I can't tell her that, she'll say it's too soon_. "I can't wait to see you."

He could hear the smile in her voice. "I can't wait to see you too."

As soon as they were off the phone, Molly texted Mary.

 _11:00a Are you up for an emergency shopping trip? Molly_

 _11:03a Always. What's the occasion? MM_

 _11:04a I'm going to POTO with Sherlock and his parents tonight! Molly_

 _11:07a And you have nothing to wear, got it. Shopping it is! MM_

The two girls met at their favorite mall and proceeded to search every clothing store for the perfect dress. Molly was extremely nervous about meeting Sherlock's parents.

"What if they don't like me?" she asked Mary worriedly. "I can't make Sherlock choose between me and them."

Mary laughed gently. "You're getting way ahead of yourself, Molly. They're sure to love you."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's simple – they raised Sherlock and he loves you."

Molly blushed brightly. "I don't know that Sherlock loves me."

"It's obvious to anyone with eyes," Mary said, grinning. "Sherlock is head over heels about you. He's probably just waiting for the right moment to tell you."

"You really think so?" The hope she felt was almost enough to drive away her nerves.

Mary smiled gently. "I do. I've known Sherlock long enough to know exactly what he's feeling, even when he's not sure himself. He loves you, Molly. And since you love him, it's perfect."

"I hope you're right, Mary." She looked through another rack of dresses until a light blue one caught her eye. She pulled it off the rack. It was knee-length with a pink floral pattern, short sleeves, and a sweetheart neckline.

Mary came over when she heard Molly's delighted little squeal. "Oh, that's perfect, Molly! Sherlock won't be able to take his eyes off you."

They found nude kitten heels and a matching purse then Mary insisted on getting Molly some make-up. Molly protested that she didn't need any.

Mary smiled a bit. "It's not about need. You want to enhance what you've got. Just a little bit of make-up, that's all."

"Alright…" Molly relented. "Just a little bit."

After their shopping trip, the girls went back to Molly's for dinner. Molly bathed and dressed then Mary did her hair and make-up.

Mary smirked. "If Sherlock even glances at his phone during this date, you have my permission to hit him with it."

Molly couldn't help giggling. "It's not a date, his parents will be there."

"It's still a date," Mary insisted. "Just … think of it as a double-date with his parents."

"That's not helping." Molly's nerves were starting to get the better of her again.

Mary hugged her best friend gently. "Relax and have fun, Molly. You're seeing your favorite musical with your dream boyfriend. You should be over the moon."

Molly smiled weakly. "You're right… Are you seeing John tonight?"

"No, Sunday night's when John does his homework." Mary smirked. "I think he gets a rush from waiting until the last minute. I'd rather do mine as soon as I get home on Friday, then I have the rest of the weekend to relax."

"Me too." Molly looked at herself in the mirror. The girl who looked back looked like Molly but a little older, more sophisticated. "Is that really me?"

"It's you," Mary said, beaming. "That's the power of make-up – it brings out the best you." She took a couple of photos to show John then looked at the clock. "Sherlock will be here soon. I'd love to stay and see him buffer but I'll give you two some privacy."

"Thank you, Mary, for everything," Molly said, smiling happily. "I couldn't have pulled this together without you." She hugged her gently.

"My pleasure," Mary said. "Call me when you get home."

"I will."

The trip from his townhouse to Molly's building took forever. At least, that's how it felt to Sherlock. When the car finally pulled up to the curb, Sherlock jumped out and went up the front steps then pressed the buzzer.

"Hello?" Molly asked.

"It's Sherlock."

"I'll be right down."

His parents were watching him from the car, his mother smiling happily and his father rolling his eyes good-naturedly at her. Sherlock groaned quietly. _Maybe by the time Molly and I have been married twenty years, Mum will calm down._ He couldn't help smiling at the thought of him and Molly married. _But that's years down the line. We still have our gap year and uni to get through._ _Of course, this is assuming that she'd have me._

Thoughts of marriage and everything else went out of Sherlock's head when Molly walked through the door. She had on a pretty dress, a strand of pearls he knew had belonged to her mother, and a pair of kitten heels. There was an off-white shawl around her shoulders and her hair was up in a French twist. But what really enchanted Sherlock was the smile on her perfectly painted lips. It was a soft, sweet smile he knew was just for him.

Mindful that his parents were watching him, he bent down to softly kiss her cheek. "Hello, Molly. You look amazing," he murmured.

She blushed prettily. "Thank you, Sherlock. You look … handsome isn't the right word for it. Devastatingly gorgeous, that works better."

Sherlock looked down at his black suit and aubergine dress shirt, wondering what was so special about this outfit compared to what he wore for their first date. _Still, "devastatingly gorgeous" is a good reaction._ "Thank you," he replied, grinning. He offered her his arm and she took it. Sherlock led her to his parents' Land Rover and helped her in then got in beside her. He introduced her to his parents, who insisted that she call them by their first names instead of Mr. and Mrs. Holmes.

The entire ride to the theatre, all Sherlock could think about was Molly's hand in his, the blush that hadn't left her cheeks, and her big brown eyes gazing into his. He knew that Molly was the only girl for him, ever. What he didn't know was just how to tell her.

At the theatre, Sherlock sat between Molly and his father, his mother on his father's other side. He felt less self-conscious about holding Molly's hand during the performance than if his mother had been sitting next to him, but he knew better than to try anything else. As for the performance itself, if a T-rex had walked across the stage, Sherlock wouldn't have noticed – his eyes were on Molly the entire time.

During the intermission, his parents went to stretch their legs in the lobby. Sherlock could've used a chance to stretch his but he preferred to stay with Molly.

She smiled at him happily. "If we're ever invited to a fancy-dress party, we should go as Erik and Christine."

Sherlock smirked. "You're too pretty to wear a half-mask."

She playfully smacked his shoulder. "You'd be in the mask, Sherlock. You have the perfect voice for it."

He lowered his voice to murmur, "Is that so?"

Molly shivered and he grinned.

She murmured, "That voice should be registered as a lethal weapon."

Sherlock just laughed.

He spent the rest of the performance deducing Molly but all his thoughts came back to one thing.

 _She loves me. I have to tell her tonight._

After the performance, he convinced his parents to let him walk Molly home from their townhouse. Molly had taken his arm but kept pulling her shawl closer. Mentally smacking himself for not being more observant, Sherlock took off his pea coat and put it on her shoulders.

"Better?" he asked.

She smiled back happily. "Yes, much. The best part is that it smells like you."

He couldn't help blushing. "That's a good thing?"

Molly laughed softly. "Yes. There's that citrus and sandalwood cologne you started wearing last year, the rosin from your bow, and the odd chemical from your latest experiment. All good things."

He smiled a bit. "I see." When they reached her building, she was about to take the coat off but he stopped her. "Not yet." He lightly held the coat by the lapels as he lowered his head to kiss her softly. She kissed him back, sighing as he deepened the kiss, his arms wrapping around her.

 _If this is Paradise, I never want to leave. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up. If this is my future, then it can't come soon enough._

Molly pulled back, blushing and smiling happily. "That was … really good, Sherlock." She sounded as out of breath as he felt.

"Yeah…" he said, smiling like an idiot. "I … um, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Bright and early," Molly agreed. She took off the coat then helped him put it on. "Goodnight, Sherlock."

"Goodnight, Molly."

Sherlock was almost home when it hit him. _Bloody hell, I forgot to tell her I love her!_


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: The final chapter! Sherlock and Molly finally say those three little words. If you're unfamiliar with Gunther von Hagens and his _Body Worlds_ exhibits, look them up, they're fascinating. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, or reviewed this story, you're the best!

* * *

The four friends spent the following week fretting over their exams. It was during lunch time on Wednesday that news of an interesting development made its way to them.

"You're not going to believe this," Mary said as she sat down next to John. She was wearing what John called her Schadenfreude Smile – wicked and triumphant at the same time.

"Tell us," Molly said excitedly. Sherlock sat beside her with one arm loosely around her shoulders. It was all the PDA the particular lunch monitors on duty that day would allow.

"Jim Moriarty was caught cheating on his history exam. There's talk of him being expelled."

"Yes!" John shouted. "Bastard deserves everything he gets."

"I can't believe I thought he was cool when I was a sophomore," Molly said quietly.

The other three stared at her, Sherlock with his mouth open.

She blushed brightly. "It didn't last long. He deliberately tripped Mrs. Hudson then made a show of helping her up. She didn't realize he was the one who tripped her and thanked him. I was too timid to tell her the truth. Jim is evil, plain and simple."

Sherlock, who had finally gotten over his shock, nodded. "Although … I'll miss having an archenemy to spar with."

John rolled his eyes, Molly just laughed. Mary smirked.

"There's always Tom from your chemistry class, I hear he has it bad for Molly," she said.

Sherlock instinctively tightened his arm around Molly. "He's not getting my Molly."

" _My Molly." I love the sound of that,_ Molly thought, smiling happily.

By the time Friday afternoon came around, the four of them were finished with exams and more than ready to let off steam. John suggested they go see the latest superhero blockbuster. This time, they were able to sit together, the girls in the middle and the boys on either end. The movie had something for everyone – John loved the fight scenes and explosions, Sherlock loved pointing out the "Hollywood physics" and unrealistic plot points, Mary loved the blond government agent, and Molly loved the surgeon-turned-sorcerer.

On the way home, the boys pretended to be jealous over the girls' newly-formed crushes but that ended as soon as they talked about their plans for the rest of the weekend.

"Mary and I are planning a picnic in the park tomorrow," John said. "It was supposed to be just us but Harry heard me talking about it and insisted that she come along too. She said we need a chaperone." He rolled his eyes but the others knew he wasn't really upset – John loved his younger sister. "You two are more than welcome."

"It'll be fun," Mary said, smiling wide. "Harry's sweet."

Sherlock looked at Molly. He had a surprise for Molly for Sunday but he'd left Saturday free. "I'm game if you are."

Molly nodded, smiling. "I'd love to."

The next afternoon, Sherlock and Molly walked hand-in-hand to the park. Sherlock hadn't said much the entire way, leaving Molly to wonder if he'd found a way to still be ambulatory while he was in his Mind Palace. He was actually thinking (overthinking) his predicament.

 _How do I tell Molly I love her? Do I just blurt it out? I do that sometimes. Too often, according to John. Maybe I should try writing it. I could write her a love letter. Or maybe a poem._

 _Arterial blood is bright red,_

 _Cyanotic lips are blue…_

He winced, not noticing Molly looking at him strangely. _God, that was bad. Okay, maybe not a poem. I'll write her a letter. I'll spell out everything I'm feeling._ He heard John's voice in his head again. _And then what? Give it to her and walk away? You want to be there to see the look on her face. Face it, you have to tell her in person. Nothing else will do._

By the time Sherlock was finally out of his head, he realized they were walking up a low hill in the park. "When did we leave the sidewalk?"

Molly just smiled as she walked beside him. "While you were still in your Mind Palace." She gently squeezed his hand then lead him to where the Watson siblings and Mary were seated under a strand of trees.

They had spread a couple of picnic blankets out to make one space large enough for everyone to sit and stretch out. Fifteen-year-old Harry, her frizzy blonde curls bouncing with her excitement, was regaling her brother and his girlfriend with stories from roller derby, her current hobby. John and Mary were sitting together, his arm around her while she playfully fed him grapes.

Sherlock and Molly sat down and the three girls immediately started gossiping. Sherlock playfully rolled his eyes and John snickered. The five of them ate the picnic lunch John and Mary brought then the girls decided to go down to the lake to see the swans. John took the opportunity to question Sherlock.

"You obviously haven't told her yet. What are you waiting for?"

Sherlock groaned weakly. "I know it's a cliché but I'm waiting for 'the right moment.'"

John rolled his eyes. "'The right moment' is a myth. Just make the current moment right. You can't wait forever. Tom said in the locker room yesterday that he'll ask Molly out at the first opportunity."

Sherlock stared at him. "Doesn't that dolt realize we're dating?"

"He thinks you're not exclusive. You'd better move fast, Sherlock. Other blokes like Molly too."

"What other blokes?" Sherlock could feel a possessive urge well within him. "She's my Molly, no one else's."

John was obviously enjoying this. "There's Mike Stamford, he's already asked her out once. I heard Henry Knight is interested now that he and what's-her-name broke up. I believe Moriarty has said something along the lines of wanting to take her out, but he royally screwed up his chances by that comment he made last week."

"Not to mention last month when he said it was a pity she didn't fill out the jumper she was wearing," Sherlock muttered. He had blackened Moriarty's eye that time.

"Let's not forget Sebastian, he-"

"Enough! I get it! I'll tell her today!"

"Tell who what?" Molly asked as the three girls returned. She sat beside Sherlock again, smiling.

John just grinned expectantly.

"Um, tell Mary she has the best boyfriend," Sherlock said weakly.

Mary grinned. "I agree."

At Molly's surprised look, he added, "I lost a bet."

John groaned quietly. "Not what I was hoping for, but it'll do for now." He grinned even wider than before.

Sherlock shot him a dirty look.

On the way home, Sherlock let go of Molly's hand to remove his wallet from his pocket and pull two tickets out of it. "I have something for you, Molly," he said softly, giving them to her.

Molly stared at the tickets. "These are to _Body Worlds_ for tomorrow! I thought it was sold out."

"It helps to have an older brother with 'connections.'" Sherlock smirked. "I had to sign over my firstborn but it was worth it."

Molly stood on tiptoe to kiss him softly then beamed at him. "Thank you, Sherlock."

"You're welcome," he murmured, blushing. _Tell her!_ It was John's voice again. _Not now_ , his own voice shouted back.

The next afternoon, Sherlock waited anxiously on the front steps of Molly's building. He wore black jeans, black trainers, a charcoal jumper over a white button-down shirt, and his pea coat. Molly came out the door and smiled at him happily.

"Hello, Sherlock." She wore a knee-length sleeveless black dress with a brightly-colored flower design, black kitten heels, and a teal cardigan. She kissed him softly then took his hand. "Ready?"

"Always," he said, trying hard not to show how dazed her kiss made him. He helped her into the waiting cab, holding her hand for the entire ride.

At the museum, Sherlock was distracted by some of the other exhibits but Molly gently tugged him along until they got to the _Body Worlds_ exhibit.

"They had to pass special laws just to allow the exhibit to come here," she said. "You'd think we were living in the Sixteenth Century."

Sherlock nodded. "Lots of people are uncomfortable with death."

They admired a body that had its blood vessels removed and hanging in the air around it like a cloud, then a man on a horse, both with all their muscles visible. Molly had to drag Sherlock away from a body seated in front of a chess game in progress, a hand under the chin in the classic thinker pose.

"But I can beat him," Sherlock protested. "I know exactly what move to make!"

Molly just shook her head and lead him to another display. This was a man and a woman locked in an embrace, kissing.

"Wouldn't it be interesting if they hated each other while they were alive?" Sherlock asked contemplatively.

"Or if they didn't know each other at all and now they're kissing for eternity," Molly said. She considered the couple for a moment. "Still, it's romantic. They're together forever now."

 _This is it!_ "Just like us, I hope," Sherlock said softly, his eyes on her.

Molly turned to him, her eyes large and soft as she whispered, "Sherlock?"

He lowered his head to murmur in her ear, "I love you, Molly Hooper."

She murmured back, "I love you, Sherlock Holmes."

He raised his head to smirk at her, his eyes dancing. "I know."

She playfully smacked his arm then pulled him down for a kiss.


End file.
